Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 37

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 37.

This was bothering me more than I expected.
I glanced at Ryu Bora.
She seemed mentally strong, but perhaps I was wrong.
Then again, one could never truly know what lay in another’s heart.

“Yun Chung.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll go straight in. From beginning to end, interpreted your way.”

This was putting considerable pressure on me.
I could feel the other trainees’ piercing gazes fixed upon me.
Since I had chosen this song, I had to demonstrate at least a baseline level of skill.
To show what vision had led me to select such a difficult piece.
I cleared my throat.
Even after singing for over a decade, I still grew nervous every time I performed.
The introduction was my part.
And it was the part I had wanted.

My lord,
On a night when even the full moon fades,
Where are you going?
Fallen leaf,
Rather than bloom, I said I would wither,
My beloved,
How far have we come?

***

Production Crew: When Yun Chung first chose “Fingertips,” how did you feel?

[Gyeong-a: Is she insane? Is she really insane…?]
[Hee-on: She’s always been surprising, but this? Here?]
[Bora: I figured she must have had some kind of plan.]

Production Crew: The other trainees didn’t favor “Fingertips,” so why did you specifically choose it?

[Yun Chung: Haha.]
[Yun Chung: Honestly, if I were singing this alone, I might have chosen something different. But the reason I picked this song was because I believed it could showcase everyone’s abilities most convincingly.]

Production Crew: Abilities?

[Yun Chung: Yes. I think we’ve already demonstrated our vocal prowess and technical skills to a certain extent. Of course, vocal ability is important, but I’ve always believed that a true singer must be able to convey a *story*. In that sense, “Fingertips” was the song with the richest narrative.]

Production Crew: Is that so?

[Bora: That unnie definitely… has ambition.]
[Hee-on: No, I understand what she means, but it’s just such a difficult song, you know.]
[Gyeong-a: She’s not the type to challenge herself like that normally. But ever since she came back from Make a New Color, she’s completely transformed.]

Production Crew: Changed for the better?

[Gyeong-a: For the better, definitely. Yun Chung was originally very timid—the kind of person you’d wonder if she could even actually perform on stage.]
[Hee-on: None of us thought Yun Chung would even place in the top five. But she’s already second. Or first if you count the bonus points.]
[Bora: Either way, it’s good when you work hard. It shows you have passion.]

Production Crew: So, how was it in the recording studio? Ryu Bora seemed to be struggling.]

[Gyeong-a: She had a really tough time. She got scolded so much that we were all nervous watching.]
[Hee-on: I actually thought Bora didn’t perform that poorly. To my ears, she sounded really good. I was like, wow, she’s cheating somehow. But then I realized the producer’s ear must operate on a completely different level.]
[Yun Chung: I thought it was just a matter of time.]

Production Crew: A matter of time?

[Yun Chung: Yes. Actually, I chose this song essentially for Bora.]

Production Crew: Why?

[Yun Chung: I was confident she would do really well. As long as she adapted to it.]

Production Crew: What do you think of what Yun Chung said?

[Bora: Yun Chung unnie is a good person. I’m just grateful that she evaluates me so highly. Haha. But I’m definitely not that kind of person.]

Production Crew: Then, how was Yun Chung’s recording?

[Gyeong-a: …haha.]
[Hee-on: Honestly, I didn’t know what to say.]
[Bora: I didn’t realize the producers could smile so brightly until that moment.]

Caption: Bora, don’t pout…!

[Gyeong-a: She’s really… a fraud. The moment she sang it, I understood exactly what she was going for.]
[Hee-on: The problem is I don’t have the confidence to do it as well as Yun Chung. And if I perform too brilliantly on my own, that’s just mean, isn’t it? This is supposed to be teamwork.]
[Bora: …I felt provoked. Watching her, my heart swelled with emotion too.]

Production Crew: What did the two producers think?

[Jae-yi: Honestly, it exceeded my expectations. Wow, if I let my guard down, the juniors will catch up to me way too easily, I thought.]
[Dan-ha: …The way she reinterpreted the song was good.]

Production Crew: Was there anything you didn’t like?

[Jae-yi: How could there be? The other trainees would definitely improve significantly with a bit more practice. Trainee Yun Chung made me really proud.]

Production Crew: What made you proud?

[Jae-yi: Still, if you want to aim for the main vocal position in Colors, you need to be at that level. Haha.]
[Dan-ha: You’re better.]
[Jae-yi: Don’t talk nonsense. I’ve never seen Dan-ha give the okay sign so readily on the first try. Not even once for me!]
[Dan-ha: …I did that because I thought if that trainee performed it multiple times, the feeling would fade. The incomplete emotional line seemed like it would actually resonate better with the audience.]
[Jae-yi: See? Have you ever seen her speak this much? I’ve never seen it.]

***

“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Thank you! Thank you for your hard work!”

Finally, the recording ended, and I stepped outside. We were heading to the van to return to the Dormitory.
But the recording wasn’t entirely finished.
The two producers had rejected Ryu Bora and Jo Hee-on, saying they needed more practice.
So the two of them would have to come back in two days for another recording session.
I felt sorry, as if I were the one causing them trouble.
The recording had exceeded my expectations.
Lee Gyeong-a certainly had the skills befitting a trainee aiming for the main vocal position.
At any other Entertainment Company, she would have become the main vocal without question.
Jo Hee-on worked hard, but her pitch was unstable.
It seemed like something we’d need to address during practice.

“Ah, I’m so exhausted.”

Jo Hee-on spoke in a completely drained state.
I glanced at Ryu Bora.
Ryu Bora’s face was characteristically expressionless.
A cold demeanor that felt utterly devoid of humanity.
She only smiled when the camera was rolling.
For now, she could deceive the public, but once she debuted, all of that would be exposed.
She’d have to maintain activity for such a long time, and as a human being, there’s no way she could completely hide that side of herself.
Was she always like this?
She seemed so bright back when she was a child actress.

“Bora.”
“Yes.”

Ryu Bora slowly removed her earbuds and answered.
She was always listening to music or looking at her phone—I wondered what she was listening to.
I considered asking, but decided against it since we weren’t close enough yet.

“I’ll help you with practice later. Let’s work on it together.”
“Ah….”

Ryu Bora glanced slightly at the camera, then smiled.

“Thank you, unnie. But you must be tired too. I’ll do my best.”
“No. I’m not tired. I want to help. Let me help you.”
“…If you really want to, unnie… Yes. Please help me. Thank you. I’ll work hard.”

She clearly didn’t want help at all.
But since the cameras were rolling, she was just going along with it.

“We’re roommates, after all. And we’re on the same team.”
“Yes.”
“Maybe this is what they call fate…”
“…?”
“Or maybe not…”

I felt like I was dying of embarrassment at the frigid atmosphere.
I’d stepped forward trying to lighten the mood, but it seemed I’d overstepped.
I’d just shut up and help her.

“You seem to have gotten close with Geum.”
“That’s true.”
“I think I know why.”
“…?!”

That wasn’t an insult, was it?

“Because you’re both… good people, I think. So you care about someone like me too. You must have been really disappointed earlier.”
“Disappointed? Not at all.”

Good. I was relieved.

“But you know, unnie.”

Ryu Bora smiled with the most beautiful face in the world.

“I’m fine. Really.”

But she didn’t look fine at all.

***

Back at the Dormitory, Ryu Bora lay still with her eyes closed, earbuds in.
She did nothing but occasionally glance at her phone.
Since it was a team mission and she’d been allowed her phone, she was openly looking at it.
I felt like I should say something, but it was incredibly difficult to start a conversation.

‘If only I had experience in a group, I would know…!’

At times like this, I resented not having many celebrity friends.
This damned social incompetence.
Eventually, I couldn’t bear the silence and stepped outside.

“Oh, Kim Geum.”
“You call me that too? Just Yeon Ju-hong is enough.”
“…Sorry. It just slipped out without thinking.”

It’s strangely addictive, you know….

“You came early.”
“Yes. Because our song is basically being remade from scratch. We haven’t recorded yet, obviously.”
“Is it because you need to make the rap?”
“Yes. We decided to completely overhaul everything except the chorus. We’re keeping the concept the same. And maintaining some of the lyrics too.”

That must be really tough for them.
I patted Kim Geum’s shoulder.
It was meant as comfort.

“We’re recording in two days. I feel like I’m losing my mind.”
“How’s Ha-eun doing? Are you two harmonizing well together?”
“Ha-eun? She’s working hard.”

…She definitely didn’t say she’s doing well.

“What about Bora? I bet she’s completely lost and just flailing around without any sense of the song.”

How are you so accurate about this?
Is this the power of friendship…?
I glanced around to check if the cameras were rolling.
Fortunately, the cameras were off.
Out of respect for privacy, they didn’t film unless it was a pre-announced segment.

“But Bora… wasn’t she good at acting? That’s why I thought she’d be strong with emotionally complex songs.”
“Hmm.”

Kim Geum’s mouth moved back and forth.
Her lips itched to speak, but she seemed uncertain whether she should open them.

“She’s been acting for such a long time, really. In fact, that’s what’s holding her back—”

Click.
The moment the door opened, we both fell silent.
Ryu Bora was staring directly at us in the Kitchen.

“You two.”
“U-uh?”
“Talk to each other’s faces, not behind their backs.”

Ryu Bora said that and casually approached us.
Then she drank a glass of water like she was in some commercial.
Beautiful people are beautiful no matter what they do….

“Kim Geum.”

Then,

“Huh?”

Ryu Bora pressed the cup she was holding into Kim Geum’s hand.
Kim Geum accepted it without thinking.

“Read the room.”
“R-read the room?”
“Spill what you know. I’ve got plenty to spill too.”
“Gasp.”

Mom….

“You do the dishes.”

I’m scared of her….
Can I really debut with her…?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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